A Crucial Week of Fate: Troop Deployment, Defense Costs, and North Korea-US Dialogue at a Critical Juncture

Pending Issues Including Hormuz Deployment and Defense Cost Sharing
Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha to Hold First Meeting This Year with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on the 14th
Ambassador Jung Eun-bo, US-ROK Defense Cost-Sharing Negotiator, Heads to Washington DC for Year-Overdue Talks

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha is delivering opening remarks at the Korea-China Foreign Ministers' Meeting held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building on Sejong-daero, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 4th. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] A fateful week begins as efforts to find a way forward on several issues surrounding the Korean Peninsula are underway. With pressing matters such as the "dispatch of troops to the Strait of Hormuz," "South Korea-U.S. defense cost-sharing negotiations," and the resumption of South-North-U.S. talks requiring solutions, attention is focused on the outcomes as key diplomatic figures head to the U.S. one after another.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 13th, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha will depart for San Francisco, USA, this afternoon to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and attend the South Korea-U.S. foreign ministers' meeting on the 14th (local time). This foreign ministers' meeting between the two countries is the first this year and the 10th in history, occurring about nine months after the last one in March of last year. Ambassador Jeong Eun-bo, the South Korea-U.S. defense cost-sharing negotiator, is also scheduled to leave for Washington D.C. to attend the 11th round (6th session) of defense cost-sharing negotiations, which will continue into the new year on the 14th and 15th.

Minister Kang is expected to focus on restoring the stalled atmosphere of North Korea-U.S. talks following the "No Deal" outcome in Hanoi, Vietnam. On the 8th (local time), Chung Eui-yong, Director of the National Security Office at the Blue House, who visited the U.S. to discuss cooperation on the Korean Peninsula peace process, held a surprise meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House and personally received a letter from President Trump addressed to North Korean Chairman Kim Jong-un. In response, Minister Kang is likely to emphasize the need for the U.S. to resume talks and ease sanctions, lending support to the upcoming discussions between Lee Do-hoon, head of the Korean Peninsula Peace Negotiation Office, and Steve Biegun, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, scheduled for later this month.

Secretary Pompeo is expected to actively request South Korean troops' deployment to the Strait of Hormuz amid instability in the Middle East. Following U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris's recent unusual direct mention of hopes for troop dispatch to Hormuz, and President Trump's emphasis on a "strong alliance" after meeting with Chung Eui-yong, this has become an unavoidable issue.

However, with public opposition to troop dispatch at 48% (Realmeter's second week of January survey) exceeding support at 40%, the South Korean government is expected to maintain a cautious stance prioritizing "the safety of the people" and may propose possible options.

Minister Kang stated at the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee plenary session on the 9th, "The U.S. position and our position cannot necessarily be the same when analyzing the situation or considering bilateral relations with countries in the Middle East."

If U.S. demands intensify, there is a possibility that an independent dispatch plan using the Cheonghae Unit, similar to Japan's approach, will be considered first. A senior official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained, "Since the Cheonghae Unit's activities include the safety and protection of our people, it can be utilized," adding, "I don't think the U.S. would say they absolutely dislike it."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Additionally, to resume the Special Measures Agreement (SMA) on defense cost-sharing between South Korea and the U.S., which was not finalized by the end of last year, Ambassador Jeong Eun-bo will meet with James DeHart, the U.S. State Department's lead negotiator for defense cost-sharing. The key issue is how much common ground can be found between the U.S., which has demanded a significant increase including from President Trump, and South Korea, which advocates for a reasonable increase. Moreover, since the negotiation deadline has already passed, more specific agenda items such as the additional costs for U.S. troops' rotational deployment on the Korean Peninsula and overseas training expenses, which were not included in the existing SMA, are likely to be discussed.

The South Korean government has shown a willingness to resolve the matter promptly. A Foreign Ministry official stated, "While maintaining the basic position of fair defense cost-sharing at a reasonable level within the existing agreement framework, we will closely consult with the U.S. side to reach a mutually acceptable agreement as soon as possible."

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.